The Lakers are still without Austin Reaves, but Luka Doncic is good to go for Friday night’s matchup against the Washington Wizards.
Reaves, who’s been sidelined with a left calf strain since Christmas Day, was upgraded to questionable for the first time since the injury but ultimately won’t suit up just yet. The Lakers are continuing to play it safe with their rising star, and for good reason.
Reaves tried to come back earlier in the season after missing two weeks, but only managed two games before the injury flared up again. Since then, he’s missed 17 straight contests, with L.A. going 9-8 in that stretch.
Before the injury, Reaves was in the middle of a breakout campaign - the kind of leap that puts a player on the All-Star radar. Sharing the backcourt with Doncic, Reaves was thriving in a larger role, putting up career-highs across the board: 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game.
He was doing it efficiently, too - shooting 50.7% from the field, 36.5% from deep, and knocking down nearly 87% of his free throws on a high volume. That kind of production doesn’t just disappear without impact, and the Lakers have certainly felt his absence.
Still, the hope is that once Reaves is back, the Lakers can finally start piecing together a fully healthy rotation - something that’s been elusive all season.
On the brighter side, Doncic is cleared to play after a brief injury scare in Cleveland. He tweaked his left ankle after landing awkwardly on a 3-point attempt during Wednesday’s loss to the Cavaliers - a play that turned heads not just because of the injury, but because of the unique setup in Cleveland.
The Cavs have the NBA’s only raised court, and Doncic appeared to slip as he backpedaled, unaware of the drop-off. He headed to the locker room but returned to finish the game, and now it looks like the issue was minor.
With Reaves still out, the Lakers will continue to lean heavily on Doncic and LeBron James to carry the offensive load. That’s nothing new, but it does mean role players like Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, and Rui Hachimura need to keep stepping up. The Wizards have quietly been playing better basketball lately, so this isn’t a game the Lakers can take lightly - especially with the West standings as tight as they are.
Meanwhile, with the trade deadline less than a week away, the Lakers are active on the phones. One name that’s surfaced: Cavaliers forward De’Andre Hunter.
Talks are reportedly underway between the two teams, with the general framework of a deal being discussed. Any potential trade would likely involve a third team, with Rui Hachimura and rookie Dalton Knecht possibly being part of the outgoing package.
Hunter would bring two-way versatility and another capable wing defender - something the Lakers have been lacking at times this season. Whether a deal gets done remains to be seen, but the front office is clearly looking to make a move that complements their core and shores up the rotation for a playoff push.
For now, though, the focus is on Washington - and finding a way to keep things steady until Reaves is ready to return.